Ashley's Return
by Dr. Michaela Quinn
Summary: In "A Wedding on Walton's Mountain" Ashley Longworth Jr. returned. What if Erin would have taken Ashley back instead of marrying Paul?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Erin's POV. The italicized are the exact lines from "A Wedding on Walton's Mountain."**

It all started three months ago. I was engaged to the man I loved- Paul Matthews Northridge. That's when Ashley Longworth Junior came back into my life. The night Ashley came back is as fresh in my mind as it was the day it happened. Paul and I were arguing on the front porch when Ashley casually walked up the front steps and stood before me and Paul. I knew at that moment my life had just become more complicated; but I didn't realize how complicated until months later. Once Paul had gone inside and Ashley and I were alone he walked over to me and put his hands on mine.

_"No." I said walking away from him._

"_Erin, you've got to understand." Ashley said from behind me. I turned my head and shoulder to face him._

_ "What? Why you walked out on me? Why you married someone else?" I asked angrily, yet there was relief in finally letting Ashley know how I felt and getting rid of that hurt. _

_ "London was a battle zone. Burnings and bombings every night. I didn't believe that I'd come back. That I'd ever see you again. Kathy was a nurse. She was… so like you. We were both grasping for the moment, we never knew. The next day, the next hour." Ashley said and sighed. "When the war was over we tried to make a life together. She died six months ago." I looked over at Ashley. That was hard to believe. Poor Ashley. I had some sympathy for him. "We loved each other, but there was always a shadow between us… You."_

_ "I'm sorry." I said quietly and softly._

"_I'm not sure if you could ever understand or forgive me, but I want you to know that I never stopped loving you." Ashley said. He came close to me again and I had to get away. I walked away from him, past the porch swing as I spoke._

_ "Don't say this. Ashley, so much has changed now." I stated._

"_I know it's not too late. I can see it; I can feel it in you." Ashley exclaimed._

_ "You're wrong. Whatever there was between us is gone. I love Paul, and I'm gonna marry him." I stated firmly looking into Ashley's eyes._

_ "I don't believe you." He repeated back. Ashley was looking right back at me. It was hard to deny my feelings for him. But I truly loved Paul and I was going to marry Paul. I just didn't know when. _

_ "Ashley, please go away." I pleaded._

"_I know you better than you know yourself Erin. I'm not giving up. You'll come to me, and I'll be waiting." _I opened the front door and ran up the stairs and into my bedroom. Vaguely while I was on the stairs I heard somebody call my name; but I didn't stop to see who it was. Part of me wished Ashley had never come, but another part of me wanted to let Ashley hold me and tell me he loved me and marry me like we agreed years ago. I was so confused. I wish there was somebody to talk to. I heard myself sigh. What I really wished was that Mama was here. She would know what to do. I mean, I love Paul; but he has no interest in getting married right now. He told me so tonight. I loved Ashley and he's right here with me now. I don't have to wait for Ashley's love and attention. Mama would tell me to go with Ashley… wouldn't she? I'm so confused. The tears dripping off my cheeks wouldn't help, but maybe a good rest would. I changed into my nightgown and slipped under the blanket. Usually I listen to Elizabeth's breathing as I fall asleep; but she was downstairs with everybody else. I fell asleep dreaming about Ashley's deep, crystal blue eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'm so sorry that it's taken over a year for the next chapter. I hope it's worth it! =) **_**Italicized words **_**are straight from the movie "A Wedding on Walton's Mountain"**

I went downstairs the next morning with torn emotions. I was angry with Ashley and completely in love with Paul; but I was still wondering why Ashley would come back into my life now. I knew that I loved Paul every time I looked into his eyes, yet when I was alone it made me think about the doubts and feelings of insecurity that kept creeping into my mind. Why wouldn't Paul talk about the wedding? Did he really even want to get married? He only cared about his job with Ben. I agree that work is important; much of my reason for still working in Charlottesville at Pickett's, but I can't wait for our wedding. I love Paul Northridge and I just couldn't get the vivid picture of Ashley's kind eyes out of my mind. He'd come all the way from London for me. Ashley wanted to see me and spend time with me. That was more than I could say for Paul right then. I decided that maybe I could use Ashley's attention to finally get some attention from Paul. I just had to figure out the right way to do it. It came to me the night my car broke down during a rain storm. Ashley was driving back to the Baldwin's house when he saw me walking down the road. By the time we got to the house, Ashley and I were laughing when we stumbled through the front door.

_"Hi everybody. Look who's here." I said smiling. I looked over at Paul and could see the rage shooting off of him. Maybe I had hit a nerve for him._

"_Hi everyone." Ashley said._

_ "Ben." I stated._

"_Ashley." Ben replied standing up. I laughed nervously. I wasn't expecting this kind of reaction from my family._

_ "Mary Ellen." I said._

"_Ashley?" She asked walking over to us followed by Elizabeth, Cindy and Jonesy. _

_ "Mary Ellen." Ashley responded. I looked at Ashley ignoring the disapproving faces of my brothers and sisters._

_ "You know, I haven't been this wet since the first day I met you. Do you remember that? Ha." I asked him. _

_ "Aw, I'll never forget how funny you looked all covered with mud from that puddle." I started laughing softly. "Matter of fact, you look funny right now." Ashley touched the brim of my hat. "Cute, but funny."_

_ "Thanks."_

"_Erin, what happened?" Mary Ellen asked obviously upset and confused. _

_ "Well, my car broke down. I, heh, was hiking along the road in the rain and Ashley took me home." I looked between Mary Ellen and Ashley before fixing my eyes on Ashley. "It was most gallant of you, kind sir." _

_ "One of my greatest pleasures is rescuing ladies in distress." Ashley replied pushing some of his soaking wet scarf over his shoulder and we both laughed, and looked at the family. "Especially beautiful ones." I stared into Paul's eyes as he stared right back at me. After a few moments he walked away leaving Mary Ellen, Elizabeth and Cindy to watch this charade. We all watched him walk through the kitchen to the staircase. _

_ "I better get out of these wet clothes-" I started to say._

"_Yeah, yeah, me too." Ashley responded walking towards the door. "I'll call you tomorrow."_

_ "Alright." _

"_So long everyone." Ashley said as I opened the door for him._

_ "Thanks again." I said. _

"_Yeah." Ashley replied and then I closed the door behind him. I stood holding the doorknob watching my siblings stare at me in cold hard glares. I walked up the stairs without a word to any of them. I don't have to explain myself to anyone. I am a grown woman. _

Well, that wasn't exactly the gratification I expected to feel, but I knew something had transpired when I saw the look on Paul's face when we walked into the house. The lecture I received from my older sister certainly showed that I had pulled a nerve just like I thought I had; but I needed to do something drastic, anything, to get Paul's attention.

_I was on my bed drying my hair after putting on my pajamas when Mary Ellen barged into the bedroom._

_ "That was quite a show you put on downstairs." She stated. Mary Ellen had a solid grip on the foot rail of the bed so I knew she was upset. _

_ "What is wrong with someone giving me a ride home in the rain?" I asked standing up walking a few steps further from her._

"_It wasn't just somebody. It was Ashley. Did you have to play cutesy with him in front of Paul?" I whirled around to face her. "What are you trying to do?"_

_ "Paul is always too busy to give any thought to me or our wedding. Maybe if he sees someone else is interested in me, he'll start paying a little attention." I exclaimed walking over from my spot to the dresser and turning again with my hand on my hip to look at Mary Ellen. _

_ "Erin, don't be stupid. Paul's not a man to stand still for childish games."_

"_I can handle this myself, thank you." _

_ "All right, do as you please. But I'm warning you, Erin, you're playing with fire." Mary Ellen stormed out shutting the bedroom door behind her._

I did some thinking that night. I couldn't sleep. I even envied Elizabeth because of her deep breathing indicating she was asleep. How could anybody sleep when they had the dilemma I did on their mind? Maybe Mary Ellen was right. I didn't want her to be right. I didn't want to think about it; but I had to. I really loved Paul and I just used Ashley to hurt him. I hated that, I really did. I knew I needed to apologize to Paul and I'd talk to him about it the next morning after we'd both had some time to cool off.

_I walked from the house to the mill before work the next morning. Paul was already at work. I could hear the saw from the house. _

_ "Good morning." I said trying to be loud enough to go over the saw. Paul looked at me, but ignored me. He walked away and picked up the wood he'd just finished cutting. "Paul. Come on, Paul, talk to me." He walked right in front of me, but didn't say a word. "Paul, I wanna talk to you." I followed him across the mill as he got another piece of wood. "Paul, I said, I wanna talk to you."_

_ "And I've got to finish this before I go." He finally replied to me._

"_You're not making this very easy for me."_

_ "You didn't make it very easy for me last night, either." _

"_Well I'm not gonna shout an apology over that."_

_ "What was that?" Paul asked. _

"_I said, I'm not gonna shout an apology over the noise."_

_ "Oh you came here to apologize?" Paul questioned staring at me._

"_Yes, I came here to apologize." I had my hands on my hips and stared at him wide eyed. Paul turned the saw off and then looked at me. "You were saying?"_

_ "I acted like a child last night." I started and Paul agreed. He nodded me further. "Well, I wanted to make you jealous because I feel like this job comes before any thought of you and me. And I know I shouldn't feel that way, but I do." Paul sighed and walked around the saw. _

_ "Have you sorted out your feelings for Ashley?"_

"_Ashley's in the past." I said walking over to him. "And I'm sorry that I used him to hurt you." Paul sighed again._

_ "Well, I guess people don't try to hurt each other unless they really care." Paul said looking at the ground, looking at the wall, looking at me. "That's some consolation."_

_ "Well I do care. I care a lot." Paul chuckled. _

"_Okay, apology accepted." He stood up and I laughed. Then I hugged and kissed him. He pulled away._

_ "And now, one in return. I know I've got a one-track mind when it comes to work. And I know I haven't been very fair to you. So tonight, you and I are gonna go for a walk in the woods alone. And we're gonna make some plans for our future. How's that sound?"_

_ "That sounds wonderful." I put my arms around his neck and kissed him again. _

I was really excited. Things were turning around. I couldn't wait to talk to Paul and figure out some things for our wedding and our future together.


End file.
